Getting to know the SWIFT Center

Many people know of Northern State Hospital, the former mental hospital in Sedro-Woolley that operated from 1912 to 1973. The landscape of the campus and the architecture of the buildings are rich with as much history as beauty. Today, the campus is brimming with activity of a different kind, and the Port of Skagit invites you to get to know the SWIFT Center.   

SWIFT Center, an acronym for Sedro-Woolley Innovation for Tomorrow, is undergoing a major revitalization effort. The Port of Skagit, which took over ownership of the property from the state in July 2018, has been planning and implementing key initiatives that include public, private and community partners.

After becoming new stewards of the campus, the Port of Skagit prioritized its initial work based on immediate priorities and feedback from community meetings. Since 2018, the Port has invested nearly $4 million in deferred maintenance to address needs around the campus and in occupied buildings.  

Property Overview:  
•    210-acre campus
•    200,000 square feet of historic buildings for adaptive reuse
•    34+ acres of contiguous land for ground-up development
•    Heavy utility access
•    Workforce partners on site
•    Competitive lease terms
•    Suite of incentives
 

The Port created a public access program, opening the campus to the community through informal use and organized events. The development of the self-guided historic route and interpretive signs welcome and educate visitors, while Public History Days and Music in the Park @ SWIFT events provide opportunities for people to gather, enjoy and further connect with the campus.   

Environmental cleanup efforts continue in areas where legacy contamination has been identified, stemming from decades of hospital and maintenance operations on the campus. Rewarding work is under way in partnership with Skagit Trail Builders to build, repair and/or reclaim trails to offer more access and connection to the county’s Northern State Recreation Area and the Port’s SWIFT Center. Additional amenities like refurnished historic benches and signage help to enhance the user experience, turning curious visitors into regular patrons of the outdoor spaces. 

As public access work continues, the Port is focusing on the next phase of redevelopment of the SWIFT Center – creating economic opportunities through public, private and community investment. The Port has built a new SWIFT Center website (www.swiftcenterskagit.com) geared toward businesses and developers who are looking for a unique footprint in the Pacific Northwest. The website provides a one-stop-shop of information about the campus, existing buildings, build-to-suit options and creative funding programs available to developers, such as historic tax credits. The Port is actively marketing opportunities to lease existing buildings as well as developable land.  

The most impactful initiative underway at the SWIFT Center right now is the work to renovate the historic Hub building. Built in 1916, the Hub served as a gathering space on the campus, for music, movies, church services, special events and more. Located in the center of campus, the Hub welcomed patients, hospital staff and the community, fostering the deep connection that residents had, and continue to have, to this campus. Renovating the Hub building into a community gathering space would provide a “full circle” achievement and could serve as the catalyst for further redevelopment and investment from the private sector.        

Since the early stages of transitioning the property to local ownership, the vision was to redevelop this property into a destination mixed use campus accommodating education, research and development, manufacturing, hospitality and commercial venues, all within the historic character and great public spaces of the center. Opportunities to realize that vision are at hand now, and the Port welcomes ideas, projects and conversations from prospective partners on how to meet the needs of business, while building economic opportunities for our community, and ultimately accomplishing the collective goals and vision for this incredible property.   

By Linda Tyler, Port of Skagit